Many know Draymond Green today as the effort starter who played a key role in the three championships in the last five NBA seasons for the Golden State Warriors; a man who truly stands for the phrase “you have to fight for every rebound and every loose ball.” He is known for being the heart and soul of any team he is on, never afraid to be physical or extra aggressive. Many also know him as one of the hardest working and therefore, highest-paid basketball players in history. This is the side of Draymond Green that is shown to the public today that many people know about. However, Draymond Green has a rich personal history that sheds light into why he is the player that he is today in the NBA.
Draymond Green was born and brought up in Saginaw, Michigan. Green grew up in a very low-income household in a poor neighborhood, with days where he wasn’t be able to eat; he had no silver spoons in his mouth as a child. He struggled and helped to sustain his family with jobs in car washes and local diners. Green had no time to do anything outside of work, not even basketball. It wasn’t until high school when the future superstar was recruited by Coach Lou Dawkins, who saw that Green had a knack for the game. He pressured Green to play, but was met with immediate negative feedback from older teammates. Green was often picked up and stuffed into trash cans or picked up and put at the top of the basketball hoop. It’s said that this is how Draymond Green became so physical in basketball as he responded to the bullying by acting more physical on the court. Despite these adversities, Green continued to play the sport of basketball and worked for countless hours to improve every aspect of his game so that he could become the best player he could be. He also received tremendous support from his mother, Mary Babers, who encouraged him to work for what he was passionate about. He started to shift from diners and car washes to basketball courts. He created a work ethic that pushed him to become the number one player on his school basketball team in his senior year, leading his team to a #4 national ranking. He averaged an almost inhuman twenty points per game and thirteen rebounds per game. He was then drafted to multiple high school and college first teams, such as the Detroit Free-Press All-State Dream Team, and eventually was recruited by the Michigan State Spartans. He was drafted in 2012 and became what we know today as DrayMagic and one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, helping in carrying the Golden State Warriors to three titles in five years. Draymond Green is also known for giving back to his community to help those who are in the same situation as he was and his alma mater of Michigan State.
In conclusion, Draymond Green is one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the sport, and his personal history has greatly shaped the player that he is today. He is the perfect example of a rags-to-riches story, but he also gives back to the public. Draymond Green indefinitely continues to impress on the court, but people don’t know how remarkable it was for him to have gotten to where he is today.